Have I written a novella?

I started writing a short story last year but got stuck on it and spent the rest of the time since then concentrating on my book. But then inspiration struck the other day and I have almost finished it.

Will probably be about 18,000 words though I could pad it out a bit to make it up to 20. Long enough for a novella?

I am not expecting to change the world it would just be lovely to get something that I've actually finished 'out there' in some form or another, for once.

A novella is not just a short story writ long. Typically, a novella features more complicated conflicts because they have more time to develop, and usually deals with the attainment of a particular goal on the part of the protag. Some of my favorite novellas are Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, London's The Call of the Wild, Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Michener's The Bridges at Toko-Ri.

A novella is not just a short story writ long. Typically, a novella features more complicated conflicts because they have more time to develop, and usually deals with the attainment of a particular goal on the part of the protag. Some of my favorite novellas are Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, London's The Call of the Wild, Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Michener's The Bridges at Toko-Ri.

From what I understand from reading the discussions here, it's tough to sell a novella because people prefer novels. I could be wrong about this, however.

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There are a number of small publishers, mainly e-book only, that publish novellas, especially in genres such as romance and erotica (but not exclusively). Some bundle several novellas into a print book, but that's more rare. Larger publishing houses tend not to go for novella-length works, except with some of their established authors.

There is always self-publishing a novella, and that may be a better option than going with some of the small publishers who don't provide much in the way of editing, cover art, marketing, etc.

Some magazines and ezines do accept novellas, but in a limited number as compared to short stories. The same with anthologies, which tend not to pay very well (as they don't usually sell well--unless there are one or more known/reader-recognized authors included).

29K is an okay Novella length. Why not look at having it professionally edited, and formatted for e-publishing. Then you can have something solid 'out there' before your novel is launched.

Later, you can offer the novella for free download, and at the end of it provide a link to your new book (assuming it is self published) which can be bought. That way, you will get feedback on the novella, which might help you with your WIP.

Provide it for free as a teaser, and see if anyone bites. Then launch the hell out of the new book when ready.

I think so. That is what I hope to do this year. I also have a little book. My concern is that my novelette is NOTHING like my novel. Totally different subject matter, style, and so on. So they really do not relate. Ho hum....

I think so. That is what I hope to do this year. I also have a little book. My concern is that my novelette is NOTHING like my novel. Totally different subject matter, style, and so on. So they really do not relate. Ho hum....

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Mine isn't much like my book either, though the style isn't too dissimilar. A lot of the things I imagine are liked at some level or another. My ambition is to have most of my work to connect in some nodular way.